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No matter what you’re looking for or what your budget is, Beijing’s shopping areas can come up with the goods. If you’re looking for Gucci, Prada and the like then you’re better off heading to Sanlitun North Village or Wangfujing but if you want cheaper, imitation products, and aren’t opposed to a little bargaining, then head to one of Beijing’s many indoor markets. Being able to speak some Chinese will help you get the price down but isn’t necessary as most, if not all, of the shop attendants speak English.

Sanlitun Not only is Sanlitun the drinking and eating center of Beijing but it is also the shopping heart of the capital. Sanlitun has been renovated, and re-renovated, and now hosts shopping hotspots such as The Village and 3.3. Here you can find upmarket brands, international chains like Mango and Uniqlo, an official Apple store and quality products.

Add: Sanlitun Lu, North of the Worker’s Stadium, Chaoyang District, Beijing 地址：北京市朝阳区三里屯路 Getting there: Take Line 10 and get off at Tuanjiehu station

Yashow Right around the corner from Sanlitun’s bar street you’ll find Yashow market. Like the Silk Market, it is a multi-story indoor market complex with almost anything you might be looking for. Here you can find cheap knock-off clothes, bags, electronic products, bedding, jewelry and shoes. You will need to bargain to make it worth your while though.

Add: Gongti Bei Lu, North of the Worker’s Stadium, Chaoyang District, Beijing 地址：北京市朝阳区工人体育场北路58号 Getting there: Take Line 10 and get off at Tuanjiehu station, walk west for 10 minutes

The Beijing Zoo Market Located across the road from the Beijing Zoo metro station, are the Beijing Zoo clothes markets. The confusing thing about the Zoo Market is that it’s not actually one market at all, but various multi-floored warehouse-style malls packed to the brim with people and clothes. Many vendors specialize in wholesale and this is also where many of Beijing’s smaller clothes stores source their goods from. It is generally very cheap but the quality leaves a little to be desired and the weekends can get insanely crowded – not for the faint of heart.

Add: Exhibition Square, 135 Xizhimen Waidajie, Xicheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市西城区西直门外大街135号展览馆广场 Getting there: Take line 4 and get off at the Beijing Zoo station

Nanluoguxiang The quaint and picturesque shopping street, Nanluoguxiang, is a newer member of Beijing’s all-star shopping team. A five minute walk from Gulou (the drum tower), the alley hosts a plethora of small boutiques, curio shops and restaurants. On warmer weekends it can be really packed but still worth a visit.

Add: Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市东城区南锣鼓巷 Getting there: Take Line 6 and get off at Nanluoguxiang station

Solana In the heart of Beijing CBD, near Chaoyang Park, you’ll discover the pleasure of shopping that is Solana. Often described as a California style mall, Solana boasts more than a thousand international brands of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Products range from middle to upper-tier prices. If you’re in Beijing and you miss foreign clothing brands and food then this is the place to go.

Wangfujing To the east of the Forbidden City, Wangfujing is a pedestrianized shopping street lined with boutiques, department stores, malls, galleries and restaurants. It starts at East Chang'an Jie in the south, and ends with China Art Gallery in the north, and is a popular shopping destination for tourists and locals alike. Landmark businesses along the street include: the Wangfujing Department Store, the Arts and Crafts Mansion, the Foreign Language Bookstore, the Shengxifu Hat Store, and the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. The go-to mall on the strip would be the Beijing APM containing many international clothing brands and restaurants and stays open until 22:00 if you want to do some night shopping.

Add: East of Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市东城区天安门广场东 Website: http://www.wangfujing.net.cn/ (Chinese) Getting there: Take Line 1 and get off at Wangfujing station

Xidan Commercial Street Located on the bustling Xidan Beidajie west of Tiananmen Square, Xidan Commercial Street boasts a wide array of shops and restaurants. At present, there are numerous large malls in the area, including the Xidan Joy City (H&M, Zara and many other international fashion chains can be found here), Xidan Market, the Xidan Shopping Center, the Hanguang Department Store and the newest member, Galaries Lafayette.

Add: Xidanbei Dajie, west of Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市西城区西单北大街，天安门广场西 Getting there: Line 1 or 4 at Xidan station

Qianmen Shopping Street The Qianmen Street area has been a commercial center of Beijing for more than 500 years; today, it has been given a modern facelift that many argue has robbed the main street of its soul. Just south of Tiananmen Square, Qianmen Avenue is now a modern street with an old-style exterior for out-of-town tourists wishing to buy Beijing souvenirs and snacks, sipping on a Starbucks latte or indulging in a scoop of Haagen-Dazs. The good news is that the nearby ancient albeit very touristy hutong Dashilan’r has remained intact.

Add: Qianmen Dajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市东城区前门大街 Getting there: Take Line 2 to Qianmen stationLiulichang Culture Street Located a few minutes' walk south of Hepingmen subway station, Liulichang Culture Street is the place to go for collectibles, curios, and antiques. In business for 300 years, Rong Bao Zhai is the oldest and most famous shop on this street; it deals in antiques and authentic pieces of art. The China Book Store is also located on this street, selling new editions of ancient Chinese books about literature, history and philosophy. Other shops found here include: Rongbaozhai Studio, Yanjing Calligraphic Work and Painting Studio, Zhenyunge Building (jewelry), Yide Building (ink sticks and red ink paste), Four Treasures of the Study (writing brushes), Jiguge Building (reproductions of antiques) and Cuiwenge Building (traditional Chinese seals). Antiques over 100 years old and over are marked with a red seal and require a special export license before they can be taken out of the country.

Add: South of Hepingmenwai, Xicheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市西城区和平门外 Getting there: Take Line 2 to Hepingmen station

Silk Market (Xiushui Street) The Silk Market can be found directly above the Yonganli metro station on line 1 and is a popular destination for tourists and residents alike. The multiple story market is a great place to go looking for cheap clothes, bags, electronic products and jewelry. Each floor has a different specialty and almost anything you want can be found here. The best bargaining tip is to go into a bargaining situation with the highest price you’re willing to pay in your head. Start below this price and do not go higher than what you’re willing to pay. It’s often a tiresome process but you can pick up some great deals if you’re willing to stick it out.

Longfusi Commercial Street Beijing's first pedestrianized street, Longfusi extends eastward to Dongsi Beidajie and westward to Meishuguan (Art Gallery) Dongjie. A less fashionable alternative to Wangfujing, with stores selling all kinds of clothes and trinkets, Longfusi Jie also boasts one the most important cinemas in Beijing.

Add: Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市东城区隆福寺街 Getting there: Take Line 5 or 6 to Dongsi Station

Dashilan’r Street Dashilan’r Street is one of the busiest shopping streets in Beijing, known for its silk shops, antique stores, and the most famous Chinese traditional medicine pharmacy, Tongrentang. Grand theaters and cinemas can also be found in Dazhalan, as can the biggest Beijing Opera houses. Other famous stores include Ruifuxiang silk shop and the Neiliansheng shoe store.

Dongsi This shopping area is located at the north end of Wangfujing near Longfu Temple. The Longfu Building is a large department store. Shops of every size and description as well as privately owned stalls are in the area, including clothing, ornaments, household products, restaurants and so on. Since the subway Line 5 operated, it is very convenient to go there by subway. Bargaining is needed here. Some special shops include Blue Hat (selling various ornaments) and Bianyuan Didai (only selling men's commodities of clothing, shoes, ties)

Add: north end of Wangfujing, Dongcheng District, Beijing 地址：北京市东城区王府井北 Getting there: Take Line 5 or 6 to Dongsi Station

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